ALVO

Commissions & Projects

Project Evaluation/Review:Review of Independent Examination Project – an investment of over half of a million pounds of Lottery cash to strengthen voluntary sector infrastructure support in Scotland through the training of some 150 “Third Sector Interface” personnel to be competent and quality assured in the independent examination of charity accounts.Evaluation of the Nifty@Fifty Training and Development Programme which aimed to assist the over 50's become more work ready, or more involved in their communities.Capacity Building: In the villages of Forth, Carstairs, Carnwath and Carstairs Junction: A two year contract which established 20 new groups for the area, and assisted 62 groups to attract inward investment of £1.5million in the form of 148 projects financed from 41 separate investors.Our success rate in assisting organisations to apply for funding is 72% - which is significantly higherthan industry averages.Field study:Market researching random members of the public's awareness, perceptions, use of, and expectations of a modern online community.Growing Community Assets:A study undertaken in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage.This determined the Issues and Opportunities for Growing Community Assets in South Lanarkshire.This study is now being used by a national consortium of national and regional intermediaries -including the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Planning Aid for Scotland, the ScottishCountryside Colleges and the Third Sector Rural Interface Network to plan a new nationalconsultancy service assisting local communities to access resources for asset growth from theScottish Rural Development Programme.Building Upgrades and Refurbishment:Gillespie Centre (Biggar): Preparation of a Business Plan, Physical Planning advice, and associated funding bids to modernise and upgrade this facility. The centre now has a glass frontage, re-designed cafe and meeting space areas, disability access to all levels, and a new computer suite. Revenues and numbers are up.Leadership:In conjunction with the Social Enterprise Academy - the design and delivery of a 12 module programme to develop local community activists' leadership skills, and their understandingof regeneration, entrepreneurship, and the social economy. This programme has operated withlocal leaders from North and South Lanarkshire and the Borders of Scotland.Community Engagement: Study into current practices of community engagement within Community Planning, with recommendations for a Community Engagement Strategy. Flowing from this work - a community engagement toolkit for local authority staff and community activists has been published, and is the primary tool used by South Lanarkshire Council to meet the National Standards for Community Engagement.International Development:Civicus World Assembly of Civil Society - the design and delivery over three years of a knowledge transfer programme during Scotland's hosting of this prestigious event. Capturing and relating community and social enterprise development experiences for international delegates through a series of workshops and visits to local projects. Relating and comparing the concepts and practices of Robert Owen - (using New Lanark World Heritage Centre as a venue) to real-life situations experienced within the third and developing worlds